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Distance : 9 km
Elevation gain : 750m↓900m↑
Details: Blue Grotto ‐ Lighthouse – Mt Solaro – Anacapri
Difficulty: T/ E
Path type: mule tracks, paths on stone and dirt paths
Botany: mediterranean scrub, heather, euphorbia, true myrtle, orchids in spring,..
Fauna: birds of prey (kestrel, peregrine falcon, buzzard, raven, sea gull,..) migratory and sedentary birds and insects, butterflies , reptiles( lizards , harmless snakes ) small mammals
Monte Solaro is Capri’s highest point and as you can imagine offers spectacular views. Allow about 1 – 1.5 hours for the hike, or take the chairlift, which is just a 12 minute ride and which you can take up or down. There are a few trails up, but the easiest is from the main square in Anacapri: head towards the Villa San Michele, but before reaching the villa, take a narrow road to your right signposted “Monte Solaro”, and follow it to the top (which is visible the entire time anyway). Once up there, don’t rush down: you’ll have a 360 degree view of the island, so buy a drink or lunch at the top and enjoy.
Hike the Path of the Little Forts on Capri: There is a relatively new walking path along the coast between the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra, photo below) to the Lighthouse, called the Path of the Little Forts, or The Old Walk of the Forts (photo above). Both ends of this 6 km trail can be reached by bus, but the path is easier if you start at the lighthouse and walk to the Blue Grotto rather than the reverse. If you can, time it to watch the sunset. Allow about 3 hours for the hike and note that while tour boats are going in and out of the Grotto you can not swim – but wait until 5 pm and you’ll likely be allowed in the water.